BANKING bosses have moved to reassure staff they are safe at work after a young cashier was assaulted in an in-store bank.

Assistant Michelle Blackburn was pushed into a glass panel in the branch of HSBC in Morrison's supermarket in Blackburn by a customer who thought she was laughing at her.

The customer, Joanne Louise Ward, pleaded guilty to the assault at the town's magistrates court.

The court heard that Ward pushed Miss Blackburn, knocking her into a glass panel, and was only stopped from striking the woman again by a security guard.

Magistrates heard that Ward thought assistant Michelle Blackburn, 23, was laughing at her and her temper snapped.

But magistrates were told that assistant Michelle, who was talking to another member of staff, was laughing at something he had said and not Ward who was being escorted from Morrisons.

Ward, of Hollin Bridge Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assault. She was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £50 compensation to Michelle Blackburn and £25 costs.

Wendy Shackleton, prosecuting, said Ward was being refused money because she did not have funds in her account.

Ward said she was not leaving the bank until she got some money, at which point a security guard began to escort her from the premises.

"As she left she suddenly went towards Miss Blackburn and hit her with her open hand on the shoulder, causing her to fall back against a glass panel," said Miss Shackleton.

"She then raised her arm as if she was going to punch Miss Blackburn, but the security guard managed to intervene."

Sarah Perkins, defending, said Ward had no previous convictions and the offence was totally out of character. "She is extremely sorry for what she did," said Miss Perkins.

She said Ward, who has two children aged 14 months and three years, had financial difficulties after her benefits, including an element of disability because of epilepsy, had been stopped for one week.

On the two previous Fridays she had gone to the bank and explained her predicament and they had allowed her a £50 overdraft until the following Tuesday when her benefits were paid.

"On this day she went to the bank, explained the situation and what had happened in previous weeks only to be told she could not have any money," said Miss Perkins. "There was a big queue behind her and she found herself in the embarrassing position of trying to persuade the cashier to authorise a payment.

"As she was being escorted from the branch she saw the other lady laughing and she believed she was laughing at her.

"She felt humiliated but she now accepts she should not have done what she did and also that she may have misinterpreted the situation," added Miss Perkins.

A spokesman for HSBC said :"All staff are fully trained in safety issues and we have security cameras at all branches and on this occasion a security staff was present at the incident."